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Naismith's Rule

Naismith's Rule is a long-established and well-trusted formula used by hillwalkers to estimate how much time they should allow when planning to undertake a walking route.

Naismith's Rule:

1 hour to walk 5 km (3 mi) plus 1/2 hour to ascend 300 m (1000 ft)

Based on this rule, the average hillwalker should allow 12 minutes for every 1 kilometre walked plus an additional 10 minutes for every 100 metres of ascent. Different hillwalkers walk at different speeds and should adjust the formula accordingly (or add / minus a percentage after calculation) to suit their own natural pace.

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Please be aware that recreational walking in the great outdoors can be a risk activity. The Ireland Walking Guide and Donard Media (the website's publisher) accept no responsibility for any injury, loss or inconvenience sustained by anyone using this website. Personal safety is entirely the participant's own responsibility.

The inclusion of walking routes, locations and geographical areas on this website is not an indication that access is permitted. It should not be assumed that access is permitted to any specific piece of land in Ireland. Please note that upland areas and coastal areas indicated on this website are based purely on their geographical characteristics. It should not be assumed that access is permitted to any of the upland areas and coastal areas illustrated on this website. Where local access restrictions exist (e.g. those indicated by "Private Property" signs, "No Trespassing" signs, etc), we strongly advise that you comply with the relevant landowner's wishes. The Ireland Walking Guide and Donard Media recommend that anyone planning to go walking in Ireland should check for potential access restrictions and to request permission from the relevant landowner(s) in advance.